Grandview fifth grade students took a deep dive into American History for social studies and presented a Historical Exhibit for the school and parents on May 9, 2024.
Each student selected one of the American historical figures from the 1400s to present day that they had learned about in class. They researched more about the person they chose and created a book to teach others about that person and what significant contribution they made to society.
After completing the book, they turned the information into a presentation that allowed them to practice public speaking skills as they introduced their person to schoolmates and parents.
“They have done really well with presenting,” fifth grade teacher Leeann Morris said. “They were so nervous when we were practicing yesterday, but they are really doing a great job!”
Many of the names are familiar figures in our American history such as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington Carver, Dwight D. Eisenhower, or Amelia Earhart. However, there were some more obscure, but equally as important people selected as well.
One student focused on Emma Lazarus who wrote the New Colossus engraving located at the base of the Statue of Liberty, which ended with these powerful lines: “Give me your tired, your poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Missy Reynolds chose Deborah Sampson, who fought for women’s right to join the military.
“I liked learning about her,” Reynolds said. “And I wanted other people to know who she was and what she did for us.”
Another student chose Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross in 1881. Mary Boykin Chesnut kept a diary during the Civil War that was published after her death. Linda Brown was part of the famous Kansas lawsuit that fought against segregation, Brown v. the Board of Education. Margaret Corbin dressed as a man to join her husband in one of the Revolutionary War battles.
Each historical figure, whether well or lesser-known, played a pivotal role in American history and the students did a fantastic job discovering those contributions and sharing what they learned.